A local network built with Cisco Meraki technology provides Enersense with a versatile and secure environment that is managed from the cloud.
Enersense International Plc, a forerunner in zero-emission energy solutions, is investing heavily in growth and internationalisation. The pace is high: the company already operates in nearly ten European countries and plans to expand further around the Baltic Sea region. Reliable communications networks are therefore vital for the business.
“Enersense is a large group. We have 50 offices, and our office network keeps evolving. We must be able to build a robust local network flexibly and cost-effectively wherever it is needed,” says Enersense Head of ICT Perttu Suonsyrjä.
The solution is Tietokeskus’ local network as a service model, delivered on a turnkey basis. Tietokeskus surveys Enersense’s needs, carries out cabling and installations, and then monitors and maintains the network 24/7. Any disruptions are fixed immediately and faulty equipment is replaced without delay. The service also includes all necessary network devices, meaning Enersense does not need to acquire or own them.
Costs scale with business needs
A key advantage of the local network as a service model is clarity. Each component and device has its own monthly fee, making costs predictable and transparent. The customer always pays in line with real usage and current needs.
For a project-driven business like Enersense, this is a major benefit.
“Our business involves constant changes in office locations. We may, for example, have a backbone network construction project lasting a couple of years, with a temporary office set up for the duration. In a traditional model, we would need to procure and install the equipment ourselves, and after the project ends, the devices would just sit in storage. That would be costly. When we buy the network as a service, we always have up-to-date equipment, and the cost scales with the business,” Suonsyrjä explains.
By the time cooperation began, Enersense had accumulated a considerable amount of technical debt. The local networks in the offices were, as Suonsyrjä puts it, “very old and badly in need of renewal”, and the network implementation became even more complex due to the merger with Empower, a company providing services in the energy, telecommunications and industrial sectors.
Tietokeskus’ local network as a service model is an excellent fit for a global operator like Enersense. It provides a unified and manageable network regardless of office location, with full visibility into the entire environment. The solution is secure and adjusts naturally to the customer’s business.
Target: a fully cloud-managed local network
Enersense’s network is built using cloud-managed Cisco Meraki technology. Meraki provides a versatile and cost-effective platform with extensive features.
Tietokeskus has long-standing experience with Cisco networking technologies.
“The strength of the Meraki solution is that every device is designed for cloud management from the outset. Remote administration and ease of maintenance have been core principles since day one,” says Tietokeskus’ Tommi Peltola.
The Meraki portfolio is extensive, allowing firewalls, SD-WAN connections, LAN and WLAN to be centrally managed in one place.
“In addition to high reliability, Meraki’s biggest advantages are the visibility it provides and its excellent troubleshooting tools. Most potential faults can be detected and resolved remotely – often even proactively, before they escalate,” Peltola says.
Suonsyrjä is pleased with the solution.
“We have worked with Tietokeskus before. This time, it was the entire package that convinced us. It combined the elements that matter to us: a good partnership, strong technology, flexibility and the right price.”
The project is still ongoing, but the benefits are already clear. The primary advantage, according to Suonsyrjä, is scalability.
“For example, as people have recently returned to offices after the pandemic, we can easily increase the number of wireless access points – and then scale back again if remote work increases.”
In the longer term, he expects to see even greater benefits from remote management. Enersense has drawn up a three-year cloud strategy aimed at fully cloud-managed local networks.
“We wanted a solution that can be managed from the cloud. It’s not so much about cost savings as it is about efficiency – being able to manage a large environment with a reasonable amount of work.”
In addition to the local network solution, Enersense and Tietokeskus work together on service desk and on-site support services, laptops as a monthly service, and Microsoft licence management.
